French House Balmain Nabs Txampi Diz As Chief Marketing Officer

PARIS — Luxury French fashion Balmain has a new Chief Marketing Officer.

The house has nabbed Txampi Diz as the its first chief marketing officer.

Diz has exited her senior vice president and managing director position at KCD Paris. He spent more than 15 years at KCD Worldwide before accepting his new position at Balmain. Diz will stay on in an advisor role to KCD‘s executive board of directors.

Balmain is one of the American agency’s largest clients. Balmain’s team works with KCD’s offices in New York, Paris and London across all of its divisions — media relations, creative services and digital.

According to WWD, “In step with Diz’s news, KCD Paris has promoted Alexis Arnault and Michele Giacalone to managing directors. Previously, the two men held the title of vice president of public relations. They will work with agency partner and managing director Laurence Laure. Arnault and Giacalone have been with the agency for 14 years and 6 years respectively.”

“In this new post, Diz is to oversee marketing, advertising, media relations and digital responsibilities. He will report to chief executive officer Massimo Piombini and he will work closely with creative director Olivier Rousteing. Diz has been very much part of Rouesting’s inner circle as he has amassed a colossal social media following, due partially to big-name fans like Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and Rihanna.”

Balmain wants to become a global leader in luxury goods under its new Qatari owners. In June 2016, DM Fashion Book reported that Mayhoola for Investments, the Qatar-based parent of Valentino and Pal Zieri, has acquired a majority stake in the high-end Paris fashion house, which has been charting rapid growth from a small base (see it here).

“Today Balmain’s business is 90 percent wholesale, but Piombini expects that its retail business will grow to 45 percent in three to five years. There currently are 16 freestanding stores.”

“Like Diz, Piombini knows Balmain’s inner workings well. Before taking on the ceo title, he was already a member of the board of directors. He also served as worldwide commercial director of Valentino SpA.”

This past July, Balmain opened its first West Coast store in Los Angeles at Melrose Place (see it here). In Europe, the Balmain team moved into new headquarters in central Paris earlier this year.

Donovan is the CEO and Founder of www.dmfashionbook.com. For all general inquiries please email don@dmfashionbook.com
Donovan has a BA in Journalism & Media Studies from the prestigious Rutgers University. He's currently studying entertainment and fashion law.